UMD Executive Director of Admissions

About the Role

The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) seeks an innovative and collaborative leader to serve as its Executive Director of Admissions during a period of significant institutional opportunity and transformation. The successful candidate will join a university that views enrollment as a strategic driver of institutional vitality, academic innovation, financial sustainability, and student success. This leader will play a central role in advancing recruitment strategies, strengthening student conversion, cultivating meaningful partnerships, and positioning UMD for continued success in an increasingly competitive higher education landscape. This is an opportunity to inherit a talented admissions team and lead the continued evolution of admissions through innovation, collaboration, and thoughtful leadership.

Responsibilities

• Admissions Strategy and Planning (20%)
  • Lead the development and implementation of admissions and recruitment strategies aligned with institutional enrollment priorities.
  • Translate Strategic Enrollment Management priorities into actionable recruitment plans and measurable outcomes.
  • Advise university leadership on enrollment trends, demographic shifts, market conditions, recruitment performance, and competitor activity to inform institutional decision-making.
  • Facilitate the development, communication, and assessment of undergraduate enrollment targets in partnership with academic leadership and campus stakeholders.
  • Collaborate with the Office of Institutional Research, the budget & analysis office, and external partners to develop enrollment projections, scenario modeling, tuition revenue analysis, and long-range enrollment planning.
  • Lead enrollment analysis related to recruitment performance, student behavior, market trends, and enrollment funnel outcomes to support strategic planning and financial sustainability.
  • Contribute to institutional discussions related to enrollment strategy, academic planning, resource allocation, and long-term university priorities.
• Recruitment and Student Conversion (20%)
  • Lead recruitment strategy for first-year, transfer, and international student populations through territory management, market expansion, lead generation, and outreach initiatives.
  • Develop strategies that strengthen application generation, student conversion, yield, and enrollment outcomes.
  • Partner with Enrollment Marketing and Communications to align recruitment strategy, communications, market positioning, and prospective student engagement.
  • Collaborate with Financial Aid and Scholarships to inform financial aid leveraging and optimization strategies in consultation with the Vice Chancellor for Strategic Enrollment Management and the budget & analysis office.
  • Coordinate cross-functional recruitment efforts with strategic enrollment management, academic, student life, and other campus partners to strengthen enrollment outcomes and the prospective student experience.
  • Provide strategic oversight of international recruitment in partnership with International Programs and Services, and collaborate with graduate and professional programs to strengthen recruitment strategies and advance enrollment growth across student populations.
  • Partner with University Marketing and Public Relations to ensure alignment between recruitment strategy, institutional messaging, and brand positioning.
• Partnerships and Pathways (20%)
  • Develop and strengthen partnerships with school districts, community colleges, community organizations, and other external partners to support recruitment, educational access, and enrollment goals.
  • Advance transfer pathways, articulation agreements, and other partnership models that strengthen long-term enrollment opportunities.
  • Provide strategic leadership for the integration of Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO), College in the Schools, and related outreach initiatives as organizational responsibilities evolve.
  • Align campus outreach, youth engagement, and pathway initiatives with institutional enrollment priorities to strengthen long-term recruitment pipelines and institutional awareness.
  • Partner with academic leadership to align recruitment strategies with workforce needs, evolving student interests, academic program priorities, and future program development.
• Enterprise Modernization and Operational Excellence (20%)
  • Provide strategic leadership for undergraduate admissions operations, including recruitment operations, application processing, analysis, territory management, and visit programs.
  • Lead modernization of admissions systems, operational processes, policies, communication strategies, and organizational workflows to improve effectiveness and scalability.
  • Ensure effective use of CRM systems, enrollment technologies, data infrastructure, and performance metrics to support strategic decision-making and continuous improvement.
  • Utilize data analysis and enrollment insights to evaluate recruitment effectiveness, identify opportunities, and improve organizational performance across the enrollment funnel.
  • Lead process improvement initiatives and evaluate emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to strengthen recruitment strategy, operational effectiveness, and the prospective student experience.
  • Manage budgets, staffing models, and resource allocation to support organizational priorities and enrollment outcomes.
• Organizational Leadership and Talent Development (10%)
  • Provide strategic leadership and organizational direction across the admissions enterprise.
  • Recruit, develop, coach, and retain a high-performing admissions team while fostering collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
  • Establish a distributed leadership model with clear ownership and decision-making across functional areas.
  • Assess organizational structure and recommend improvements that enhance effectiveness, scalability, succession planning, and future organizational capacity.
• Community and External Engagement (10%)
  • Represent the university in regional, state, and national organizations, professional associations, and strategic partnerships.
  • Serve as a spokesperson for admissions, enrollment, and recruitment initiatives through media interviews, public communications, and community engagement.
  • Represent the university in public discussions related to admissions strategy, student access, and institutional enrollment growth.
  • Strengthen relationships with school counselors, school and district leaders, employers, alumni, civic leaders, community organizations, and educational partners to advance the university's visibility, recruitment efforts, and strategic partnerships.
• Other Duties
  • Perform other duties as assigned in support of the mission, goals, and strategic priorities of the unit, division, and university.

Leadership Opportunities

• Lead Strategic Recruitment
  • Lead the university's admissions recruitment strategy by helping UMD respond to demographic change, evolving student expectations, and increasing competition.
  • Expand market reach, diversify recruitment pathways, and advance institutional enrollment priorities while helping guide the integration of Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO), College in the Schools, and related outreach initiatives into Admissions.
• Advance Student Conversion
  • Champion an integrated recruitment and conversion strategy that helps prospective students confidently choose UMD.
  • Elevate visitor experiences, personalized engagement, faculty, alumni, and student connections, and other touchpoints that influence enrollment decisions while creating a seamless transition from first inquiry through enrollment and the beginning of the student experience.
• Strengthen Academic Partnerships
  • Partner with colleges, faculty, and academic leadership to align recruitment strategies with evolving student interests, workforce needs, market opportunities, academic modalities, and future program development.
  • Support the continued evolution of graduate recruitment through collaborative partnerships with graduate programs and academic leadership.
• Modernize the Admissions Enterprise
  • Lead the continued evolution of the admissions enterprise by enhancing organizational effectiveness, operational processes, policies and procedures, territory management, CRM capabilities, and data-informed decision making while thoughtfully integrating emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
  • Cultivate a university-wide culture where recruitment is viewed as a shared responsibility and continuous improvement is embedded throughout the organization.
• Represent UMD Beyond Campus
  • Serve as a visible ambassador for the university by cultivating relationships with schools, counselors, community organizations, alumni, employers, regional partners, and civic leaders.
  • Advance partnerships that strengthen UMD's visibility, reputation, educational access, workforce development, and long-term enrollment success.

Qualifications

• Required Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s degree plus at least 12 years of relevant experience, or master’s degree plus at least 10 years of relevant experience.
  • Progressive leadership experience in admissions, enrollment management, recruitment, student services, or related higher education functions.
  • Experience leading strategic initiatives, operational planning, or organizational projects within a complex organization.
  • Experience utilizing data, analysis, and technology systems to inform decision-making and support organizational goals.
  • Experience leading professional staff, teams, or cross-functional initiatives.
  • Strong communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Preferred Qualifications
  • Master’s degree in higher education, business, public administration/policy, or a related field.
  • Experience serving as a Director of Admissions or in a senior admissions leadership role.
  • Experience leading enrollment growth initiatives and improving net tuition revenue outcomes.
  • Experience with international recruitment strategy and global enrollment initiatives.
  • Experience partnering with graduate and professional program leaders to support recruitment strategy, market positioning, or enrollment growth initiatives.
  • Experience developing enrollment projections, scenario modeling, or tuition revenue forecasting in collaboration with institutional partners.
  • Experience overseeing or partnering on dual enrollment, outreach, transfer, or early pipeline initiatives.
  • Experience partnering with enrollment marketing.

Schedule

Typical business hours, Monday through Friday. Primarily in-person on the University of Minnesota Duluth campus, with some flexibility for hybrid work.